It takes an hour for Ruby to open her door, but she only does it to let Zwei in. Qrow trails up the stairs after the dog, but she shuts the door in his face.

"Ruby, can we please talk about this?"

No answer.

He sighs, crossing the hall into his room. His fingers and throat itch for a drink. He pulls open the second drawer in his dresser to find an envelope he hasn't touched in a while. He scoops it into his hands before going back to Ruby's door.

He knocked again.

"Ruby, please?"

"Why?" Her voice sounds scratchy. He hears her get up and cross to the door before she opens it a crack. "Why should I?"

Even through the sliver of open door, she looks remarkably like Summer. Red is rimming her eyes and there are wet tracks on her face. He could force the door open if he wanted. But she needs to let him in.

"Because I need to tell you the truth." He cradles the envelope. "The real story about me, your mom, and you. I need you to know."

"Then why couldn't you just tell me when we met?" She sounds like she wants to scream at him and beat her fists against his chest. "How hard is it to say, 'by the way, I'm your dad'?"

"Please, let me in, and I promise I'll explain."

She thinks about it for what feels like hours before she moves away and sits on her bed, letting the door swing open. Qrow walks in slowly, as if he'd frighten her if he moved any other way. She watches him, having pulled Zwei into her lap and stroking his ears.

He sits on the floor, cross legged, still cradling the envelope.

"I met your mom in high school." He smiles at the memory. "I was a year ahead, but she was smart and I wasn't. She got moved ahead to our math class, and she knew more than anyone else. For a while, I don't think she knew I existed until Mr. Port made her help me with the unit we were working on. Like I said, I wasn't very smart."

"Tai liked her a lot, and the three of us became this trio. Tai and I were trouble makers, but she kept us in line. I'm pretty sure she's the reason we never got kicked out of school. But, you know how it is when two boys like a girl. Eventually, she's going to pick one. And she picked me. It made Tai kind of mad, but he met my sister, and eventually he got over it."

"She went to college, and I started working. We were saving up for a house so we could have a place to ourselves. But, see, then she found out she was pregnant with you." He twists his hands together. "And her parents weren't very happy about it. I was living with Raven and Tai at the time, and she moved in. But that apartment was so small for four adults, and Yang was a baby. We couldn't have raised you there. So, she dropped college so she could work and we could get a place of our own."

"After you were born, she went back to school and work. I worked night shifts, and stayed home with you during the day, and she took care of you at night. Money was tight and we were stressed, but happy. We both loved taking care of you."

He reached into his envelope and produced a few photographs he hadn't been able to look at since Ruby moved in. There was one of the two of them in the hospital, Summer cradling a tiny ruby bundled in a blanket. One of them at the zoo, Ruby in a stroller. A picture of Qrow feeding Ruby a bottle, another of him asleep on the couch with her curled against his chest. Summer bouncing Ruby, another teaching the infant to walk.

Ruby studied the photos before looking up. "I don't understand. You both look so happy. So why? Why did you leave?"

"I didn't want to." He looked at his lap. "But on my way home from work one night, I found this guy in an alleyway. He was bleeding out, right there. And no one was helping him. So, I tried to help, but the police found us. I tried to run because I was scared. The guy died, and they had no one else to pin it on. I didn't any witnesses to my alibi. My DNA was all over the guy from when I tried to stop the bleeding. And I ran. So, they locked me up."

"I'd always been trouble, so everyone thought I did it—except your mom. She knew I could never do anything like that. She begged Chief Ironwood for years to open the case back up. By the time he did, you were in elementary school. And Summer used to say you asked for me. What your dad was like. She told you—"

"That you were away fighting monsters. That you were a hero." She remembered. She used to dream about it.

"But I told her not to tell you anything about me." Qrow shook his head. "It sounds stupid, but I knew that being a hero in your imagination was better than anything I could do in person. So, I told her not to show you pictures or tell you where I was. You were twelve when they finally let me out. Summer begged me to come home. But I couldn't. I just couldn't force myself to ruin the image you had."

He handed her the envelope. She opened it to produce more photos and drawings. The ones Summer would bring him or send him in letters. Ruby looked at them, turning each one over. The last thing to fall into her lap was a little silver band.

"And I missed you both so much. Summer would offer to bring you over, but I couldn't bring myself to see you. I wouldn't know what to say. She'd visit me when she had time off and you were at school."

She was looking at him, tears welled up in her eyes.

"I never stopped asking about you." He shook his head. "I never stopped caring. I sent Summer a check to put in your college fund every year. I bought the house with the money they gave me for having me in jail so long. Everyone in town forgot about me, except Ironwood and Tai. Tai thinks I abandoned you and Summer because I didn't care. I started drinking to cope, but that didn't really help either. And now we're here…"

He looked at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

She blinked, still looking at the photos before setting them down and picking up the ring to roll it between her fingers.

"Why didn't you and mom get married?"

"We were so young." He smiled half-heartedly. "I bought that for her right before I was sent to jail. I was going to ask her. But I couldn't bear to after being locked up for eleven years."

"I used to think you were hero." She picked up one of her old drawings. "That you fought dragons."

"I'm sorry I'm not." He looked back down. "I wanted to be that for you, but I knew that I never could. Not really."

They were quiet for a while before Ruby got off the bed and Zwei followed. Qrow looked up as she scooted to sit on her knees in front of him.

She studied him, looking into his face. Summer used to do that when they were younger.

"You're so much like your mom, Ruby." He smiled, reaching to wipe a trail of tears off her cheek. "She was smart and kind and beautiful. She'd be proud of you. I know I am."

"You really loved mom, didn't you?" Her voice shook.

He nodded. "I love you, too, Kiddo. I always have."

Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He sat his hands against her back, rubbing between her shoulders gently. One of his hands crept up to pat the back of her head. She sniffled.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby. I should have been there for you."